I can think of very few people give you that sense of 'what on earth are they going to come up with the next?'. Damon does...

Slight digression, but picking up on the Damon Albarn exchange further back in this thread, after attending the first night of the new run of Monkey - Journey To The West at the O2, I have found out what he's up to next.

A Blur reunion ? Nope. He's writing a chamber music piece for the Kronos Quartet...

Before Papa M asks, I have no idea whether it is for string quartet and melodica !

The interesting thing is that observing him watching his work on stage last night, I got the distinct impression that he probably derives a deeper satisfaction from sitting there watching his creation than from being on stage with all eyes on him prancing about in front of Blur...

Charlie wrote:What made me open the thread was to pick out the musicians who are so good that business people abandon their normal caution and want to work with them knowing very well that they may difficult.

That would be more telling of the business people, than the musician, I would think. We all have our personal attachments, and I think that a business person to be involved in the music business, a risky venture, would have to be begin doing it more from some place of personal attachment, and less from a ROI calculation. And as to what that personal attachment is would be different in every case, but I could make some guesses as to the dominant patterns. But shucks, what do i know? I'd love to hear about some real-life cases as to why various business men back various artists. So if you have some stories or particular cases in mind, I for one would love to hear (or vet?) them.

What made me open the thread was to pick out the musicians who are so good that business people abandon their normal caution and want to work with them knowing very well that they may difficult.

For some reason this made me think of Abdullah Ibrahim...perhaps because I had dinner wth his new music publisher recently. He didn't say Abdullah was particularly difficult (although I don't think he's easy). But it was clear that he was really excited to have signed his publishing not for the vast amounts of money it is going to make (it isn't) but simply because of who he is and what he represents.

What made me open the thread was to pick out the musicians who are so good that business people abandon their normal caution and want to work with them knowing very well that they may difficult.

For some reason this made me think of Abdullah Ibrahim...perhaps because I had dinner wth his new music publisher recently. He didn't say Abdullah was particularly difficult (although I don't think he's easy). But it was clear that he was really excited to have signed his publishing not for the vast amounts of money it is going to make (it isn't) but simply because of who he is and what he represents.

Did he know of this musician through his reputation? His purported status, and/or through the actual music he creates? And if all of the above, which is he a bigger fan of? What was the deciding factor?

Again, love to hear more examples. I will stop pressing my point here. Again, personally, I think it comes down to transmitting emotion accurately, sincerely and passionately while performing, and making pleasing musical sounds, and one's integrity between what they preach on stage or record, and what they practice.

I learned a saying a few years ago; "Art is Long. Life is Short." The difference between Pop Culture and art. Real art will last for many years & Pop culture will only be interesting for a little while.

I'd think Jimi Hendrix, Robert Plant could fit into this.

I think I'd add George Clinton too.

Last edited by Dayna on Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.

I would add John Cale (why I didn't think of him in the first place? I have no idea).

I have loved (some) of his stuff since I was a teenager. He is one artist that you never know what he may come up with next. I begin to drool everytime I hear news about a new release - even though I know I may not like it at all...
Artistic integrity or just another of those cranky old goats with a difficult attitude? I'll let you think what you think about him.
I love the man (from a distance).

I saw him live a couple of years ago. A good night, a full house. And that voice...